Younis appointed Pakistan captain

Nearly two years after he should've taken over, Younis Khan took his place as the captain of Pakistan, after the Pakistan Cricket Board decided to relieve Shoaib Malik of his duties. Younis, who has twice previously turned down the leadership, takes over as Test and ODI captain, his first assignment less than a month away when Sri Lanka return for a two-Test series.

After a night and day of intense speculation, and a day full of meetings, Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, confirmed rumours that had begun floating almost as soon as Pakistan trooped off the field after one of their worst ODI defeats to Sri Lanka on Saturday. They were fueled by a 15-minute meeting earlier today between Younis and Butt, in which the offer was first made. There followed meetings between Butt and senior officials from the board and team management at which it is learnt there was clear consensus: Malik had to step down.

"We asked Shoaib Malik to step down as captain. He agreed and only then did we appoint Younis Khan as captain of Pakistan," Butt told reporters at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. "We have taken the step because our performances weren't great. The end result is not just winning but the performance. We didn't just lose to Sri Lanka, we performed poorly. So we have made Younis Khan the captain of both Test and ODI sides."

No tenure has yet been set for his leadership - "as is the PCB way," said one official - but there was unanimous approval for the move to replace Malik and bring in Younis. "The feeling was clear that something had to be done because the team had performed so poorly and Younis was the first choice," an official present at the meetings, said.

Younis has long been seen as the natural choice to lead Pakistan. The impression was built during an impressive two-year reign as vice-captain to Inzamam-ul-Haq, where he often stepped in to take over in sessions and Tests to telling effect. But he blotted his credentials by twice walking away from the post, which in turn led to uncertainty today over whether he would accept.

The first time
he had done so was in October 2006, days before the Champions Trophy, when he walked out of a press conference fuming that he didn't want to be "a dummy captain." He turned down the post again after the World Cup the following year, though reasons weren't made clear at the time. But over the course of the year, Younis is said to have changed his views, culminating in the trip to India at the end of the year, where he expressed a desire to captain Pakistan.

It was understood by Cricinfo that Younis was keen to set some terms and conditions for taking over, but it appears that has not been the case. "As far as we are aware, no terms and conditions have been set," said the official. "The chairman is not the kind of man to qualify an offer. Younis was offered it and he accepted and that is that."

Malik's downfall had been on the cards for some time. His win-loss record in ODIs remains impressive but it has been built on weak opposition. Against bigger teams he has been less successful and the resounding nature of the defeats to Sri Lanka sealed the deal.
But as much as on-field results, the pressure built on him because of his inability to build a relationship with senior players in the team. Mohammad Yousuf criticised him openly, though he did so only after going to the ICL. Privately, at least two other senior players were also unhappy with his approach and particularly at the clique he is said to have cultivated within the team.

These issues culminated last week with Malik openly questioning Shoaib Akhtar's commitment during the Sri Lanka series, before u-turning and claiming he had not singled out Shoaib. The episode is said to have greatly incensed the board and though Butt played down reports of a rift, another official hinted it might have been worse than previously thought.

"Many things were discussed in the meetings, including Malik's relationship with players. Things weren't great and as an example, during the last ODI in Lahore when the team was staying at the team hotel, Malik stayed at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Draw what conclusions you want from that."

Younis will make sure that players like Kamran Hussain , Asim Kamal are not ignored and are selected in the national side. Kamran Hussain is a must for the oneday side because of his amazing batting and bowling talent. Kamran Hussain is an experienced Allrounder and the selectors should make sure that this time he is not ignored.

First of all to be blunt let us make no bones about the fact that changing faces is in no way an ultimate remedy of time proof deeply-entrenched mess.To reiterate the very fact see the case-in-point by what I mean in Australian skipper Ricky Ponting.Does a captain alone steers the ship off all-time long-lasting stinky filth accumulated by hefty fishy chips and be thought of brushing it up on his own tod.The answer lies in utter negation.I mean Ponting thrived on having the likes of pigeon,Gilly and spin magician in Warne.After they bowed out it seems doom for Aussies.Imran had the intelligentsia of Javed,Akram,Inzi,Aqib and Mushy to reap the fruit.
This means the rub lies elsewhere and to me it is the system and top-brass that needs serious overhauling and dire revamping.
Having said that,no point arguing that Younis is the best option to replace Malik in the current circumstances although Younis could well be a highly demanding skipper as has turned out on numerous occasions.

mn12
on January 29, 2009, 9:47 GMT

Great Decision by PCB to appoint Younis Khan as the captain. Misbah could have been a great choice as well. The best thing about younis is that he is honest and a very hardworking Cricketer. Younis will bring in players like Asim kamal, Kamran Hussain( Top Allrounder of our domestic Cricket ) , Saeed Bin Nasir , Mohammad Talha, Mohammad Aamir and a fantastic talent from Peshawar by the name of Nawaz Ahmed.

Fel_rocks_RD
on January 29, 2009, 4:08 GMT

Younus is not the right choice. He called himself "a dummy captain" in 2006. So, whenever he leads the team, he will be viewed as one. The best person to succeed Inzamam after World Cup 2007 was Mohammad Yousuf. Two years prior to the WC, he was ousted from the vice-captaincy for being a Christian; though the PCB stated that they wanted to groom a younger one in Younis Khan. The reaction from Yousuf was that the he converted to Islam. Eventually when he was given the job for the 2006 Champions Trophy, the new PCB Chairman ousted him in favour of Younus. So, definitely, Yousuf should have been handed the captaincy in 2007. After having phenomenal years in all 3 formats for the last couple of years, Yousuf would have been the ideal choice. As far as Younus is concerned, he had declined the captaincy not once but twice, so his commitment to Pakistan Cricket is questionable? For a guy who struggled to make the playing XI in the highly competitive IPL, Younus is not the ideal captain.

chooha1
on January 28, 2009, 18:30 GMT

Great decision PCB! Now PCB should bring back the banned ICL players and also Mohammad Asif. If they succeed to bring them back, then this should be the team ODI line-up: 1.Salman Butt 2.Shahid Afridi 3.Younis Khan 4.Mohammad Yousaf 5.Misbah-Ul-Haq 6.Shoaib Malik 7.Fawad Alam 8.Abdul Razzaq 9.Umar Gul 10.Rao Iftikhar 11.Mohammad Asif. Finally, I would like to wish Younis good luck and hope Pakistan does good under him!

nihar_192
on January 28, 2009, 15:32 GMT

To all who replied to me,
Pakistan will fail again with his captaincy. I agree MS Dhoni has sparked most of the Indian Team performances, but the fact that the Pakistani team is in ruins and in the modes of being at the rock bottom of the chart..you shoudn't even be talking. As for captains, like i said earlier, it doesnt matter whoever is captain of that team because eventually you'll prolly get a new one in a month or so. At least India are more consistent.

Bobby_Talyarkhan
on January 28, 2009, 14:03 GMT

Always thought he was the right man for the job. Plays the game hard but fair, gives respect to those who earn it and commands respect from them, isn't afraid to take decisions and doesn't stand for any nonsense from prima donnas. Good luck to the man!

taimurAliKhan
on January 28, 2009, 12:49 GMT

he is the best commander in PAKISTANI cricket team.PAKISTAN will now come back on winning track INSHALLAH.

mn12
on January 30, 2009, 10:07 GMT

Younis will make sure that players like Kamran Hussain , Asim Kamal are not ignored and are selected in the national side. Kamran Hussain is a must for the oneday side because of his amazing batting and bowling talent. Kamran Hussain is an experienced Allrounder and the selectors should make sure that this time he is not ignored.

First of all to be blunt let us make no bones about the fact that changing faces is in no way an ultimate remedy of time proof deeply-entrenched mess.To reiterate the very fact see the case-in-point by what I mean in Australian skipper Ricky Ponting.Does a captain alone steers the ship off all-time long-lasting stinky filth accumulated by hefty fishy chips and be thought of brushing it up on his own tod.The answer lies in utter negation.I mean Ponting thrived on having the likes of pigeon,Gilly and spin magician in Warne.After they bowed out it seems doom for Aussies.Imran had the intelligentsia of Javed,Akram,Inzi,Aqib and Mushy to reap the fruit.
This means the rub lies elsewhere and to me it is the system and top-brass that needs serious overhauling and dire revamping.
Having said that,no point arguing that Younis is the best option to replace Malik in the current circumstances although Younis could well be a highly demanding skipper as has turned out on numerous occasions.

mn12
on January 29, 2009, 9:47 GMT

Great Decision by PCB to appoint Younis Khan as the captain. Misbah could have been a great choice as well. The best thing about younis is that he is honest and a very hardworking Cricketer. Younis will bring in players like Asim kamal, Kamran Hussain( Top Allrounder of our domestic Cricket ) , Saeed Bin Nasir , Mohammad Talha, Mohammad Aamir and a fantastic talent from Peshawar by the name of Nawaz Ahmed.

Fel_rocks_RD
on January 29, 2009, 4:08 GMT

Younus is not the right choice. He called himself "a dummy captain" in 2006. So, whenever he leads the team, he will be viewed as one. The best person to succeed Inzamam after World Cup 2007 was Mohammad Yousuf. Two years prior to the WC, he was ousted from the vice-captaincy for being a Christian; though the PCB stated that they wanted to groom a younger one in Younis Khan. The reaction from Yousuf was that the he converted to Islam. Eventually when he was given the job for the 2006 Champions Trophy, the new PCB Chairman ousted him in favour of Younus. So, definitely, Yousuf should have been handed the captaincy in 2007. After having phenomenal years in all 3 formats for the last couple of years, Yousuf would have been the ideal choice. As far as Younus is concerned, he had declined the captaincy not once but twice, so his commitment to Pakistan Cricket is questionable? For a guy who struggled to make the playing XI in the highly competitive IPL, Younus is not the ideal captain.

chooha1
on January 28, 2009, 18:30 GMT

Great decision PCB! Now PCB should bring back the banned ICL players and also Mohammad Asif. If they succeed to bring them back, then this should be the team ODI line-up: 1.Salman Butt 2.Shahid Afridi 3.Younis Khan 4.Mohammad Yousaf 5.Misbah-Ul-Haq 6.Shoaib Malik 7.Fawad Alam 8.Abdul Razzaq 9.Umar Gul 10.Rao Iftikhar 11.Mohammad Asif. Finally, I would like to wish Younis good luck and hope Pakistan does good under him!

nihar_192
on January 28, 2009, 15:32 GMT

To all who replied to me,
Pakistan will fail again with his captaincy. I agree MS Dhoni has sparked most of the Indian Team performances, but the fact that the Pakistani team is in ruins and in the modes of being at the rock bottom of the chart..you shoudn't even be talking. As for captains, like i said earlier, it doesnt matter whoever is captain of that team because eventually you'll prolly get a new one in a month or so. At least India are more consistent.

Bobby_Talyarkhan
on January 28, 2009, 14:03 GMT

Always thought he was the right man for the job. Plays the game hard but fair, gives respect to those who earn it and commands respect from them, isn't afraid to take decisions and doesn't stand for any nonsense from prima donnas. Good luck to the man!

taimurAliKhan
on January 28, 2009, 12:49 GMT

he is the best commander in PAKISTANI cricket team.PAKISTAN will now come back on winning track INSHALLAH.

BRIAN400NOTOUT
on January 28, 2009, 12:09 GMT

i think something, anything has to be done regarding pak cricket. i don't remember, it is far away in the past, since the death of woolmer and some players involved in some cases of match fixing and drug use, pakistan cricket has suffered a lot. so happy to hear that the path of changes has been taken and younis is the right man for the job, he is a master batsman and a real leader such was khan and akram. good luck man

jamalkhan65
on January 28, 2009, 8:54 GMT

Alexander the Great once said, "I do not fear an army of lions, if they are led by a sheep. I do fear an army of sheep, if they are led by a lion." I hope we find our lion! Captain in cricket is like the general in the army. Shoaib Malik was not even a sheep or a regular soldier, I wonder what our board was thinking. Malik ruined the team and disrespected elders, fame got to his head not his brain.

ALVIIRFAN
on January 28, 2009, 8:32 GMT

If you ask me i like to see Afridi as captain of pakistan but Younus is also my player who can change pakistan team but shoieb malik was no where neer to the game best of luck younus

NightwatchMan_786
on January 28, 2009, 8:05 GMT

Ok, I never understood why Younis Khan always gets so much credit, let me tell you something about Younis. This guy does not play for the team and if you look at his test/odi inning by inning results then one realises that Pakistan is indifferent of his performance. Out of his career of 240 test/odi matches, he might have played 10 match winning knocks including the India tour (I'm not exaggerating). Of course he has made high scores for Pakistan but only when its of no use; for example against Bangladesh or Kenya his footwork is perfect and his timing is sweet. Is he a good captain? YESSS, captaincy requires a lot of time/effort and affects your performance which doesn't matter in his case because his contribution to the scorecard has not been much. Plus he has better leadership skills and has a good cricketing mind. Shoaib Malik is a much better batsman in my book and it will be nice to let him focus on his own cricket.

Panchi_Udas
on January 28, 2009, 6:54 GMT

In the current situation it seems to be the only option left but it will depend how other players react on this decision especially Afridi who's performance is consistently declining and dreaming of captaincy. I think the major problem is with the players among themselves as the defeat clearly showed that they do not want to bat in the final ODI against Srilanka and if one does not want to bat then no one could do something. In my opinion all the batsmen especially Kamran Akmal, Afridi should be left out from the team and board build a new team with a brand new captain may be from under19 or some domestic performance so that the current players should think of what they did to disgrace PAKISTAN name and in future they will not do this again. As by changing captain not only the reward of their sin they all should be punished severly.

Aameen
on January 28, 2009, 6:37 GMT

wel...I feel that Pakistan need a very agressive captain at this stage. I feel that Akhtar could have been a nice move but he himself is struggling with his line and length...But am sure he will do well... Afridi could have been a decent move as well but he lacks talent under pressure.. Younis can be a good move...all the best to Pakistan.

WEll, this appointment should have be done long ago but due to the nostalgic inability of the then management of cricket board it was not even in sight. Though Malik has been replaced but the result would not come in favour untill/ unless we dont change the entire buncg of constent losers such as Kamran Akaml who has been dropping catches and missing curicial stumping in every match, Afridi the boom boom failure and the biggest faisco shoaib Akhter.
i wonder what cricket management thought when they select such failed players on routine basis and does not look at the domestic circle for some fresh bllod.
anyways, i wish younis khan a good luck as this is the right time for the team to start preparation for the next year T20 WC and then the ICC WC.

Muhib23
on January 28, 2009, 5:44 GMT

In reply to the attacking comments of Nihar192 to the current Pakistan team, I wanna say that don't underestimate Pakistan team.U declared Pakistan team as a poor team.Yes,I believe that in the present condition India's performance is better than Pakistan but that doesn't mean that India is the best team in the world.Younis Khan's comment about Dhoni was quite right that luck is always with him.Just look for the past for example twenty20 world cup final,India-Pak match in that tournament where Pakistan were in winning condition.It's humorous that India is and will always be better team under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.There is no gurantee because when everything is going right then it looks like that Captain is great which is now happening with Dhoni.I believe that Dhoni is a great player and a captain but when India will give poor performance then u guys will tell that Dhoni should be sacked.So, just wait and watch and then give ur comments

Danusanju
on January 28, 2009, 5:42 GMT

I am Danusanju from Sri Lanka.I don't think it would be a wise decision.For me Shohaib Malik has done nothing wrong as Pakistan captain.Look at his own performance,he has done a decent job with his bat.This time saking him as a captain would not be a wise move.Not only Malik but als every one in the playing eleven was responsible for the series loss.Especially experience players failed to deliver.Yunis failed,Afridi failed,Misbah failed,Shohaib Akhtar failed then how can blame Captain Malik alone?Cricket is not an individual game it is a team game so every one should contribute then only you can win matches consistenly.Before Yunis turned down the captaincy twice.One was after the world cup the board has asked him but he turned down.For If he has been a team man,he would have accepted the job that time itself.But now he accepts.It means Yunis is a cunning fellow.The players have not coporated with Malik thats why Pakistan lost.Pakistan he needs a good manager rather than a good coach.

Gohar
on January 28, 2009, 5:04 GMT

Well, that's the right move, especially replacing malik, I would say Afridi will be the right choice, because we need a men who has its own attitude, we need a leader who has his attitude.
Well, younis is technically good but his habbit of jiggling around in the feild shows his as a joker instead of leader.

compared to Malik he is a good choice.

Best of Luck to younis.!!

KiwiRocker-
on January 28, 2009, 4:43 GMT

Obviously Status Quo was not working so it was time for a change. Younis Khan is more energetic than Shoib Malik so it can only be good. Now PCB should do next best thing and reverse ban on all ICL players as Pakistan is the only team that is hurting due to loss of players to ICL. Furthermore, Nihar 192: There is no need to make comments about India Vs Pakistan Record. Pakistan has superior record in both forms of games against India. Dhoni is a great player but as usual Indian public over hypes their players. India should focus on Sri Lanka where they lost last time and were clueless against Sri Lankan Spinners. I am sure with return of ICL players, Pakistan can be among top three in world.

bil_jam
on January 28, 2009, 4:41 GMT

Well...PCB always makes decisions when the damage is done...what they need to instill in their management style is a proactive approach...I guess the executives at PCB need to take up some management courses at local universities.

Pakistan is a country blessed with cricket talent...this is one thing I fail to see the PCB appreciating. Some players like Shahid Afridi need to have been ditched a long time ago...am sure there is at least one person in Pakistan that can score at least 50 runs and take a wicket or two...Afridi is a disaster in batting...all he does it takes maybe a wicket or two...this guy should go...he has been given enough chances.

Another guy to go should be Shoib Akthar...what is he anyway...a packege full of pride...he knows how to talk big...walk around with his arms pumped up...this is not what a result oriented team would need.

PCB should get rid of the less productive ones...give a chance to the new guys...well...the captaincy of Yonis is a good choice...

zeeshan_ac
on January 28, 2009, 4:18 GMT

At last PCB took the right decision to back to Yunis Khan as a captain which they should do earlier. No doubt as an all rounder Malik is one of the best in the world but it does not mean a good cricketer will be a good captain.He was always shaky and were struggling to manage the senior players among the team.He does not have that much personality in order to manage the players .However, I like Yonis's strong personality in the team and hope he will do his job properly.

Pakistan team should change the batting order,Shahid Afridi always should open the innings with Salman Butt in ODI ,he has ability to sewing around his bat specially in power play,good stroke maker as well has the great strike rate.No use to send him to bat at no 7/8 position.

Pcb should seriously think about those banned played for ICL league, specially Md.Yusouf,Rana Navid,Abdul Razzak,Imran Nazir....they are the COSTLY miss for Pakistan team.

Again all the best luck for Yunis Khan and his team.

Zeeshan

Icyman
on January 28, 2009, 3:22 GMT

Younus Khan as captain is not a good choice. Khan ,has in the recent past turned down captaincy twice. I really would not like to see him lead here.Malik was decent,they could have retained him. But it seems that the PCB wanted a change anyway. Salamn Butt could have been a better leader,a new person,new ideas,could have helped Team Pak.As of now,it looks like the Pakistanis are taking a backward step.

cricpolitics
on January 28, 2009, 2:57 GMT

Don't get too excited. The player power has prevailed again. It was a team's failure and not just captain's against Sri Lanka. Did Younis Khan perform, did Shahid Afridi perform, did Salman Butt perform in the last match, did Shoaib Akhtar perform in the previous two matches? These players have played a major role in losing against Sri Lanka. It's a shame that some of these senior players have been on a consistent campaign against Shoaib Malik. Their pathetic egos are bigger than the team performance and these so called senior losers will keep hurting Pakistan cricket. PCB has made another mistake to sack a captain mid way through. This is not going to fix Pakistan cricket, this is yet another step back. Don't be too surprised if Younis Khan steps down again if his hormones start to over-react again. He has a very unstable history of being a captain.

SHANTIRATNAM
on January 28, 2009, 2:53 GMT

At this point of time Pakistan needs more cricket than changes in the leadership etc. Getting all out for 75 does not happen most often and its not a significantevent to make drastic changes. The PCB must first stand on its own feet and get back all ICL players back to its team. One cannot punish Shoib Mallik if the PCB cannot stand on its own feet.

aquamartino
on January 28, 2009, 2:40 GMT

HAHA Younis again?? Changing captains and bullying your players doesnt mean your team is going to win. YOU STILL NEED TALENT whick pakistan lacks. Shoaib should be kicked out of the team, that guy is a third class player and person. End of T20I Final after loosing to india again he said "thanks to every pakisani back home who supported us and all the MUSLIMS around the world who suport us", Cheap thinking! low life Shoaib thinks only muslims and pakis suport him, sick person, I used to support pakistan a bit but after hearing that i wished shoaib looses all his matches. Inzy is and will be the best man for pakistan, everyone else has been linked to match fixing, pathetic players..the entire journey of the third class cricketer Shoaib as captain could have been better if it wasnt for PCB, arguably the worst sports board today, i would say on the same page as ZIMBABWE board. Pakistan should dissolve their team and send them to ICL and make them give PCB some cash..HAHA GAME OVER PAKISTAN

dilchasp
on January 28, 2009, 2:17 GMT

I have been a great fan of Younis khan. It was sad when he declined the captaincy earlier. Maybe because he wanted the full authority as captain. Also that time he was very aggressive, now he has become a lot mature. But he was a fighter Younis khan then and even now. Under his captaincy, I think Pakistani cricket team will do a lot better than what happened just recently. I like Shoaib Malik as a player but not as captain. I thought he has become mature after seeing him in Aub dabhi against WestIndies, but his remarks against Shoaib Akhtar were completely unacceptable. You don't say these things for him now when poor guy is struggling to come back to rhythm. If I pick up the team in the current situation, my team will be by the batting order: Salman Butt, Khurram Manzoor or Nasir Jamshed, Younis khan, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, Fawad Alam, Yasir Arafat, Sarfraz Ahmed (Kamran should be a history now) Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar gul. Anybody agrees my batting order & selection?

love_of_the_game
on January 28, 2009, 2:03 GMT

Congratulations world... this is great... Pakistan finally gets a new captain... This is what we needed. A new face representing and commanding the team... Younis khan is a very lively person and will do great. Hopefully...
Shoaib Malik's attitude towards the team was all wrong...
Thank god!!

CH33TAH007
on January 28, 2009, 1:14 GMT

I personally wasnt expecting Malik to lose his job after his tenure was extended just recently. Anyhow, Younis khan is the best person to lead the pakistani side.Malik wasnt the worse captain we had but because the way he was, he couldnt gel the team together.I had Misbah-ul-haq in mind but Younis certainly is the right man to lead the most unpredictable side in the world. The other plus he has being a captain is that Younis gets along with everyone or should i say, everyone gets along with him esp Mohammad yousuf. We badly need Yousuf, Razzaq, Imran nazir and Rana back in the pakistani side. Younis needs to stand up and bring back players like Sarfaraz ahmed(w.keeper) in place of Akmal (Mr. Butterfly fingers). Asim kamal deserves a definite chance in the test team. I just cant believe that how the current and previous management have ignored him for such a long time now. I wish all the very best to YK! Lets hope we get to see something different!

cyborg
on January 28, 2009, 0:51 GMT

shoaib malik should not feel down he should just play his game, lets face the facts Srilanka came and won, lets wait and see how younis gets going please bring back mohammed yousef sorry but sri lanka wins hands down.
they might win with younis khan

solo2185
on January 28, 2009, 0:32 GMT

I fear team may have thrown lahore srilanka match to discredit malik.It worked. Wrong kind of people are running team so things will not change.Shunned by the rest of the world yet no pride,Find honest hardworing players who put country above all else.God help us.

cricket_doctor
on January 28, 2009, 0:24 GMT

i was a very vocal opponent of shoaib malik given the captain's mantle in the first place as it was not based on correct principles -muhammad yusuf should should have been the one given the job at that time .
shoaib ,as yusuf rightly said is not an automatic selction for the test team ,how can some one command respect in the team if his position is not safe ? whatever happened was inevitable
we have a long history of selecting the wrong people for the wrong reasons
i firmly believe that yunis khan is the wrong choice because he is responsible for the chaos because of the way he behaved in 2006 and 2007 is far from what is desirable
he first tried to hold pcb at ransom ,he wanted complete authority ,
well you have to be in the system to change the system ,if he took over then, won respect from his players and then demanded authority ,he may have succeded .i believe he is not the right choice my choice would be salman butt? yunis is temperamental and unreliable,

MianKashif
on January 28, 2009, 0:24 GMT

Leadership is important for Pakistani team but more important is the team selection. Pakistani team lacking genuine batsmen and bowlers can never be a winning team no matter whoever is leading. We can still find legends like Wasim, Waqar, Saeed Anwar, Inzimam and M Yousuf..PCB has to be realy honest not only with choosing the captain but also in the search for new talent to get ready for the upcomming world cup.

ali14pakistani
on January 27, 2009, 22:46 GMT

Nihar192, why are you people so obssessed with being better than Pakistan, its always Pakistan; why are you so complexed!!?? Man you guys are sooo goood! You should have said the rest of the cricket world is nothing in front of the great Indian team!!! But ask Sunil Gavasker, Sidhu, Bishen Singh Bedi and so many others!!! And dont forget to see Slumdog millionaire !!

bad_boy
on January 27, 2009, 22:39 GMT

Pakistan does not need a new captain... they need to stop playing cricket and start acting in movies, soaps or theaters... they have all the ingredients... probably they will win all the oscars that way....drug scandal, dead coach, sacked captains, banned players, spanked team mates, scapegoats for failures, discontent senior players ... did I miss anything ... oh yesss... false impression of having the most talented team in the world (look at their average..just average).
I am sad to be writing this since Pakistan was my favorite team in the 90s... however time changed... only a piece of advise .... hard work will beat talent 9 out of 10 days... unfortunately pakistani players and fans don't beleive that.

chooha1
on January 27, 2009, 22:38 GMT

Great decision by the PCB! Now Pakistan should bring back the ICL players. Afridi should always open with Butt Abdul Razzaq!

cric8111
on January 27, 2009, 20:41 GMT

Thanks to the ICC, Umpire Hair, and spineless people who ran Pakistan Cricket a team built on strength and lead by that class act Inzamam, HAS been destroyed in less than 5 years.

Imagine a side with Shoaib, Gul, Shabbir, and Mohd. Asif (see no Shoail Tanvir) with Kaneria thrown in and Yusuf, Younis, Kamran Akmal, and Inzi as the rocks on which scores were built.

I feel sorry of Younis Khan another class act. He did not want to be a dummy captain under the Msuhy administration, who can blame him.

But Pakistan which is slowly turning into the laughing stock of the world has itself to blame for selling its very soul (political and sporting for example) in more ways than one to the devil.

Get that "servile" attitude out of Pakistani cricket and you'll be a force again......INSHA ALLAH.

hank
on January 27, 2009, 20:29 GMT

One of the best decisions made by PCB ,it should have been done one year ago ,but better late than never, with Younis khan as a captain ,he still needs to figure out the true performance of his senior players ,maybe under Shoaib Malik they were not offering their total committment on the field ,but now with Younis fully incharge of Captaincy we might see a different team ,I wish Pakistan team the best in many years to come.

anildakjain
on January 27, 2009, 20:16 GMT

does changing captaincy frequently is a good sign or bad sign?
will it not be difficult for the players to cope up with the new captain
what if pakistan doesnt perform well with the newly assigned captain

wakeel
on January 27, 2009, 19:40 GMT

ON Nihar192! d reason y India is at its peak is not they had or hav great players,Ganguly, Dravid,Sachin nd Kumble..they all failed consistantly for a decade..its just Dhoni who used his skills nd got d best out of em..India has always been n ordinary team before dhoni. Pakistan hav always produce Legends..there are uncountable its just tht v lack Leadrship since 2000..once v get a strong leader an aggresive one..thn v l be d best team wit d same players..u just wait nd watch!

khlfn14
on January 27, 2009, 19:33 GMT

At last something good is done for Pakistan cricket. Only time will tell that what would be the results but PCB has made a good decision at the right time. Shoaib Malik is a good cricketer but not so good in leading a national side and his record as captain proves it.
But keep this in mind that this changing and choping might hurt our team. Give Younis Khan time to set himself up and only then you can expect results.

HiyerNHiyer
on January 27, 2009, 18:52 GMT

Only time will tell if this is the way forward. Just one request.. Please do not expect a la Imran of 1992.. Imran is a legend and a great leader and Younis still has a long way to go to. He is but of course a very good cricketer..but history shows that not all good cricketers maketh good captains..rest as I said..Only time will tell..I personally feel that they also need a strong Manager and very strong leadership at he board level..then we shall see the Magic. There is obvious talent in Pakistan but they are just drifting away... Look at Asif, Shoaib, Afridi, Naved, Umar Gul, Imran Nazir, Salman Butt, Yousuf.. these guys are good but where are they know? with the exception of Umar Gul..most of the rest have been in the news for all the wrong reasons..but there is genuine talent.. All the best to Pakistan Cricket to bounce back to being amongst the top two or three teams in world cricket..

furqan786
on January 27, 2009, 18:41 GMT

Finally! I'm very happy to hear this news.. hopefully it will instil some hope and a bit of fire into the pakistan circket team who have had a torrid time of late.. They have got their captain, now all the PCB needs to do is sort out there TEAM SELECTION!(along with other things :P)

subrata_banarjee2
on January 27, 2009, 18:36 GMT

Another change but i think the condition of Pakistan will not change because Younis does not seem to be a good captain as he is not a good batsman that a captain deserves.

riz103
on January 27, 2009, 18:14 GMT

It won't be surprising if he turns down the responsibility again, although I hope he doesn't. He had good reasons to back out earlier. All he wanted was less interference by the board at lower levels of the game. This is a real problem with the PCB. They interfere too much with the proceedings on-field and make the captain act like a dummy.

Nihar192
on January 27, 2009, 17:56 GMT

Twentyone21, how can you possibly talk about MS Dhoni? If you indeed support pakistan, then dont bother discrediting other captains. This move may or may not let Pakistan go further, but they will never get ahead of India. India still and will always be the better ODI team in the current era with Dhoni. As for Younis being captain, it doesnt matter too much who you keep captain of the pakistan team because the team is poor anyway.

germanboy
on January 27, 2009, 17:47 GMT

i think its a good decion taken by PCB cuz S. Malik is a good batsman but not a good captain at all.

I hope Younis get all the players he want to play.

Gino2814
on January 27, 2009, 17:41 GMT

Typical, always after a loss Pakistan cricket feels that drastic changes are the order of the day. In my opinion Shoaib Malik was a decenent enough captain. After having refused the job twice before, why accept it now Younis? Note that a captain is as good as his team. Having said that, best of luck to Younis and Pakistan team from a West Indies supporter!!! Cheers.

naeem59
on January 27, 2009, 17:37 GMT

change of captain is not going to change any thing but captain.the problem with pakistani team is bad selection,favourtism,personal likings and dislikings .it seems that team is being selected on quota system two players from peshawar,two from lahore two from karachi etc.if one player from karachi goes other will come from karachi also even not to the level of test cricket.some body tell me why shoib akhter was selected and why afridi who is behind him .what about sohail khan he is a average bowler there are much better bowlers out there like talha and mohammad aamir the lefty and especialy what about najaf shah what is his fault and so on.and above of all why saqlain mushtaq is not in the team he is just 30 or 31 years old.but nothing will change except for captain

saka
on January 27, 2009, 17:36 GMT

hhmm Shoaib Malik removed of captaincy - reason shameful loss to Sri Lanka... everyone looks happy that Younis Khan is the new captain, sure good but its any a new hope !!! what about the PCB board official were not removed? Let them take responsibility of appointing Shoaib as captain & not trying to convince Younis earlier to accept captaincy of the team being the only candidate at that time. I think Younis Khan should be given complete authority to rebuild this team, let him run the show. Why are ppl who play no role in the field control a team..... the board is to only support & make sure that all facilities are provided to perform that's it. but the PCB has failed trying to interfere into playing the game offfield.

sekhon0210
on January 27, 2009, 17:33 GMT

Right choice. I appreciate this step of PCB. Younis Khan is the best choice after the retirement of Inzi bhai. No doubt Shoaib Malik is a very good player but sometimes I feel that he was not able to motivate team's spirit which is very essential for a good captain.Being a good player and a good captain are two different things.I would like to see the other players who are banned due to ICL in Pakistan squad.. Moreover there needs a change in batting order too. Shahid Afridi should always open. As recently we all have noticed that he can't deliver as good as he was sent as an opener. I request the Cricinfo team to send this message to PCB. Will be very thankfull.
And Good luck to Younis Khan.
Regards

farhan1
on January 27, 2009, 17:30 GMT

I think it was a great and timley decision been made by PCB.

Tipu_munawar
on January 27, 2009, 17:29 GMT

I think Younis Khan was 1st choice after Inziam. I was thinkig for Misbah or Salman Butt because Younis rejected twice before and I thought he might not accept but whatever happened today is great for Pakistan Team.

wakeel
on January 27, 2009, 17:28 GMT

A decision everyone had expected to come.Its kinda obvious that Y.Khan would take over as captain soon. And i think its too immature to say that the decision is a wise one unless we see the players in the ground. But throughout the past Y.Khan is not that consistant in his performance. he does play some vital innings whne they r desperately required but he lacks consistant batting form as a captain he has always been the first choice.But the most worring thing is his attitude,his mood as a reader below said rightly he may give away the captaincy for the lamest of excuse.
Wel as for Malik he shoud remain in the team for ODIs nd T20 and he should be considerd for tests. he should prove his performance for that level.Thorughout Malik's tenure one thing was clear he lacks leadership quality.Maybe hes not fit for it as of today.Mayb he needs to gain more experience first. But now i myt not prefer Malik as a future captain either coz u r born wit leadership quality for eg Dhoni d best capt.

Rajesh.
on January 27, 2009, 17:21 GMT

This merry-go-round and knee jerk reactions will never stop in Pakistan Cricket. It's only a surprise if anything or anyone is stable and constant there & that not only include the captain but even the Chairman of the Board.............

ssid
on January 27, 2009, 17:17 GMT

I would advise Malik not to feel bad about it. Captains get sacked in every country. It is nothing new. Since it happens everywhere, his sacking should make him feel better about.
This is his explanation for every bad performance he used to give.

Kishankumar
on January 27, 2009, 17:11 GMT

Be it individual or team sports, consistency is what seperates champions from also-rans. Pakistan always lacked that in spite of having probably the best talent pool in the cricketing world. This I believe is because of lack of good leaders. From what I could judge, Malik seemed to lack that spark, always looked under pressure and never seemed to be a great communicator. Younis Khan seems to have at least 2 out of these 3 qualities.

India after Dada, SA after Cronje and Ausies in the early 80s faced the same problem and it was all strong men with great leadership skills that turned these teams around. I mean, Border wasn't the most flambouyant left hander, Dhoni is not Bradman-2. 50% of Smith's batting is all about " hate-to-lose " attitude. I guess, Younis is closest currently in that aspect and hence I feel its a timely decision. Good or not, only time will tell!!

synergy
on January 27, 2009, 16:48 GMT

Finally Malik has gone & it has taken 18 months for PCB to take a right decession. With this speed we cannot expect to be in the top league of the coming world cup. Pakistan needs to act fast, its all hands on deck time otherwise the ship will sink further. Shoaib Malik (with the backing og PCB goons) has played his part in destroying the team. Younis is a good choice but he has to improve his ODI performance, apart from that he is a players captain & gells very well with the team a fact that we have all witnessed during the times that he stood in for Inzamam. He also fighter & tries to make things happen, not just stand as a spectator like Shoaib Malik. Change of captain is not enough, we must also rethink about the composition of our team & it is about time that we start bringing in new faces. Old guards like Akmal, Misbah & Afridi should be shown the door or may be asked to rest. Shoaib Akhtar is another guy who needs to be disciplined & must be told to performm or else he is out.

mustufa
on January 27, 2009, 16:45 GMT

Finally, Younis, plz don't resign now a month later. Stick it out, I know its tough being the captain of Pakistan, but the team needs a leader, and performer in all forms of the game. Be the captain we all think you can be.

usman_a
on January 27, 2009, 16:39 GMT

This is very good...and now shoaib malik should be out of team atleast he do not deserve his place in test team

ch.tahir
on January 27, 2009, 16:19 GMT

AOA My friends
I believe Younis Khan is the right choice, He has done well in the absence of Inzy. we as pakistani's need to step back and see the big picture, Having a young captain in our cricket never worked because of the cricket politics. So again Younis Khan is a smart cricketer who knows what it takes to win matches and also how to handle the players. I would say for the love of god please let him give it a try and see where our team will be. There is a old saying " Rome was not built in a day" same here if we are going through the process of rebuilding than we have to give it a time before we start criticizing. Good things comes to those wait. God bless pakistan and pakistan cricket.

Analyzer
on January 27, 2009, 16:16 GMT

My opinion is that Afridi should have been given a chance...we are never sure of him but atleast once he should be tried....

mashoodqazi
on January 27, 2009, 16:10 GMT

if there is a person who can lead from example it is just younis khan....there are some comments regarding not making him captain purely on the fact that he rejected captaincy twice....imran khan rejected captaincy twice but that did not stop anyone from objecting him becoming a captain....look at the team is there anyone there who has the qualities to lead from front like younis and answer is NO? secondly younis has good relationship with all the senior players and junior players look up to him....he is the perfect person to support intikhab alam...like imran khan was in world cup 1992....now we have to bring yousuf and asif back in the team on any cost .....wht every they did they are still an assets of pakistani cricket.....

KrikFreak
on January 27, 2009, 16:06 GMT

This is an excellent move by the Board, long overdue. Finally a proper cricketing decision from PCB. Malik has divided the team and YK (Younis Khan) is the best person to lead. It already past time for Shoaib Akhtar, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi and they should be shown the door. There are many good players on the domestic scene waiting for the chance. Bring them in and get these losers a competition. Earn you place with your dedication and hard work.
Bring back Mohammed Yusuf, world renowned cricketer. You don't know what you are missing. He is a gem of a player and its a shame we treat our greats like this.

wowemkay
on January 27, 2009, 16:05 GMT

Will someone please realise that this is the wrong question that begets only spur of the moment emotional responses. Whoever (Zardari, Enver, or Butt and Co.) actually worries about Pakistan cricket needs to understand that there is a structure and a process that underlies performance. Thanks to greedy and incompetent managers, unskilled or unmotivated players, not to speak of at least two of the most vile and corrupt judges in Pakistan history, poor Pakistan cricket has just been raped repeatedly. It needs a thoughtful, systemic fix by people who are not dying for protocol and foreign trips. The last 'Captain' worth the job they had was Imran. The 'Why not after him' should follow and may yield the answer that he was a rare talent and by Pakistani cricket standards,educated. The obvious result, that they will not find another Imran should lead to the idea that the new Captains will have to be carefully groomed and mentored and the focus should be on how best to do that.

murphyslaw
on January 27, 2009, 15:57 GMT

The right choice for captain. I've heard alot about how selfish Y Khan is by going to Australia and England to play. This is what all cricketers in pak should be striving for. He has done himself a favour by playing in different conditions and will adapt better.

It annoys me when PCB decides to hold a training camp in the summer, as the players are a lot better off coming to the UK to play league cricket. By playing under seaming conditions the players will adapt their technique accordingly.

The 70s team nearly all played county cricket. i.e. Zaheer abbas, sadiq mohammed, mushtaq mohammed, sarfraz nawaz, intikhab, asif iqbal, javed miandad, imran khan and probably others too. They all gained from their experience and apart from cricketing skills, they learnt the art of captaincy which is especially true for Imran and mushtaq.

PCB should try to set up deals with english league clubs to allow their players to gain more exposure to foreign conditions.

good luck YK

ShoaibuRehman
on January 27, 2009, 15:57 GMT

I think Malik was not the right choice in the first place. What is required now from Younis is that he should unite the team. Have good relationship with experienced players and utilise their skills as well in field placings, bowling changes, batting order etc. Instead of being reactive he should be proactive. One advice to Younis, he should be a little bit serious on the field. Jokes & fun is ok but should be in some limit. As a captain, he should lead from front and set example for others.

viku13a13a
on January 27, 2009, 15:49 GMT

Hmmm... Is this a right thing to do?? I mean given that Malik was like a little puppet that everyone played with from PCB to the team to public.. but Younis??? He is a good player and all but i do not think that he could be a good leader. Firstly they (Board & Malik) never should have let go Yousuf Yohanna (Mohammed)I think he is one of the best player Pakistan has right now... But he finally did go back to ICL. Jamsed is one of the good prospect they have. I have no idea why Kamran Akmal & Shahid Afridi are still in the team? So Mr. Younis Khan you want be a good captain clean up all the old trash you have in the team start fresh and do something good for Pakistani people so they can be proud of you.

MaksoodChaiwalla
on January 27, 2009, 15:46 GMT

Poor choice, Younis has walked away once and had refused the offer after the world cup. How can one trust such a person? I would have liked to see Misbah-ul-Haq get the job.

chooha1
on January 27, 2009, 15:39 GMT

Well done PCB! I think it's the right decision to appoint Younis Khan as Pakistans captain even though Afridi would have been a better choice. If Pakistan also lifts the bans off ICL players and bring back Mohammad Yousaf and Abdul Razzaq, then Razzaq could open with Butt or Yasir Hameed and Pakistan would'nt have a problem with the opening pairs.

jamal22066
on January 27, 2009, 15:37 GMT

I had my doubts about Malik from the begining. His test record before he took over as captain clearly showed that he was by no means an automatic selection in the test squad. Even besides this issue about selection, he very quickly showed he is incapable of making good decisions on the field. How many times did we see a missing slip fielder or a bad field placing? Far too many times if you ask me. Younis Khan is the right man for the job.

ZICO
on January 27, 2009, 15:34 GMT

Thank you PCB for the right choice. I mean I understand they were trying to copy the example of South Africa and India by appointing Malik, but he really is no Smith or Dhoni. I don't know how united the team will be after this, but I hope that leads to pakistan being more competitive in the international arena.

girikula
on January 27, 2009, 15:26 GMT

I think its the right decision. People tease Younis that he didn't accept it last time. Its clearly becuase he was not offered a free-hand. He was being "made" captain rather than "offering". Now that he is being offered and requested, definitely one would see value and respect in that. Please do not think cricket team represents your whole country. There is the board which is the main "owner" of this team, who benefit from each and every action of players. For the board, country comes second. So why should players give away their respect for the sake of board? Younis is the right person for long and finally it has come to him in right way. Just wish the ban on ICL players is lifted and Yousuf comes back and get Fawad alam! You have best side that can even beat our (India) team now! Comon guys! you can do it! - Girish, London

mrraraavis
on January 27, 2009, 15:26 GMT

well after going through all the comments one gets a mixed feeling about younus being appointed .But having played cricket you go through alot and it does take a toll on you some time but then there still are things which would break you down and thats what happened with younus khan .If anyone was close enough with the pakistan side would tell how close younus and bob were so you can't ignore a human beings emotions.And lets be honest we pakistanis are the people who hurt our own players the most although i agree with malik being removed but how would malik be feeling at the moment sure as hell he d be hurt inside.We should all hope for the best for pakistan cricket inshaALLAH things will work out for pakistan cricket.I have seen younus from close and i can tell he is one guy who'll keep the guys together and happy.Having said that i cant get into ones heart and know, that is just my observation .InshaALLAH one day we will all thank ALLAH for the accomplishments to come .InshaALLAH.

WaseemZahid
on January 27, 2009, 15:17 GMT

I think its too early to sack shoaib malik.When U give a young player captaincy in subcontinent teams,u need to be patient.with so much politics in and out of the team it takes time for a young captain like malik to adjust.We can't say younus 'll be successful as changing captains won't work,we need to change players like afridi,akhtar and akmal and until unless yusuf doesn't come back to the side,its v.difficult to win test series against any competative side like Srilanka as batting line up is missing batsmen like inzi n yousuf and remember last test match won by pakistan was way back in january 2007 against SouthAfrica before the worldcup n man of the match in that game was inzi,so we have to think seriously about test cricket where we haven't won a single test match in two years.last thing,Mr.Ejaz butt is not capable of handling board affairs he should go home and take REST,.at 75 ,he is out dated.lets Hope for the best 4 pak cricket and younus khan.

CricketPissek
on January 27, 2009, 15:15 GMT

my views are purely as an outsider, but it's quite a sad state of affairs when the Pakistani team which used to have either an obvious and stong leader in the team (a la Imran Khan , Miandad, and Akram) and/or were almost spoilt for choice (circa mid nineties - early 2000s) has to go crawling back to someone who has rejected the job twice! Too bad they don't have a young player to step up as Graeme Smith did for RSA a few years back. I used to laugh saying Pakistan is a team of captains, but now there's no real captain and even lesser a team... oh dear

INPG
on January 27, 2009, 15:12 GMT

Better Late than NEVER. Next step should be permanent removal of Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Akhter. Shahid Afridi should only be in the reserves to get into the team only when someone is injured. Let Sarfraz keep the wicket, give Fawad Alam a longer chance to stay in the side. For the disgusting Asif, I can also pray if he could learn from his blunders and mend his ways, so that PCB could do something to bring him back in the team. We do need a killer-bowler in the team. I am not very sure whether it is too late for Mohammad Yousaf to be back in the team. Pakistan has already lost Abdul Razzaq.

sadaat
on January 27, 2009, 15:11 GMT

at last we have some good news in our pakistani cricket, i think mr ijaz has made first sensible decision which also reflects the hopes of pakistani nation now second should be in my own opinion, departure of mr shoiab akhtar(waste of space). please now bring new talented youngters bowlers and batsmen.thank you

last thing mr.chairman please give us a strong and powerful younis khan

Abood
on January 27, 2009, 15:05 GMT

Yahoo!! Finally a good decision made by PCB after a long long time. Phew!!
Younis is a great player and Inshallah will prove out to be the best Captain of all times.

nymp
on January 27, 2009, 15:05 GMT

Malik possesses no leadership skills whatsoever. He was supposed to unite the team not divide them. How can a captain go public and blast his players for not performing? Very immature captain. All the senior players were unhappy with him. Kudos to Ijaz Butt for making a very wise decision in a timely manner. All those disgruntled players will be very relieved to hear this news . Hopefully they'll perform well as a team in upcoming test matches. Best of luck to them!

Shadow_xxx
on January 27, 2009, 15:02 GMT

younis is the rite choice as shoaib malik never deserves a place in the team.(watch him in seaming conditions). if younis gets full authority to control the team lyk imran khan pakistan can go distance... the only reason he rejected the captaincy earlier was not getin full authority... and thats the only way this team can and shud be handled... 1 thing younis shud do is remove KAMRAN AKMAL

owaismalpatta
on January 27, 2009, 14:56 GMT

I think Shahid Afridi would make a better captain, even if his performance isn't that great. He has awesome field settings, ntm that he lifts the spirit of the side well.

atharsherwani
on January 27, 2009, 14:55 GMT

It's sad that once again,senior but under performing players have conspired to blackmail the Board into submission.Senior Players' performance in the last two matches tells the story. It remains to be seen whether, yesterday's men like Shoaib Akhtar,Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal still manage to get into 1day & Test squads. If they do then all this drama stinks to high heavens.
I would not be surprised at all that on the pretext of smallest crisis Younis Khan will once again jump ship. He has to perform consistently instead of now and then.

MadRun
on January 27, 2009, 14:54 GMT

Is the team as good as the captain or is the captain as good as the team????? We in the sub-continent need to see blood on every defeat and yet after every inconsequential victory make gods out of our cricketers. The board can only represent the public mood.... after all we are Asians!!!

asianinvasion
on January 27, 2009, 14:52 GMT

Younis is definitely the WRONG decision . He cannot be forgiven for his decision not to accept the captaincy after the last world cup, just when the country and the team were looking for a leader to take us forward where was he? So why does he want the captaincy now. Is it to keep his place or is he going to show what being a Pakistani really means like the great Imran or Javed.

Poisollan
on January 27, 2009, 14:49 GMT

Its a right decision at the end of the day..... Pak need some good talents like younis khan to lead their side in the international arena.....

Shery73
on January 27, 2009, 14:49 GMT

fair decision after long time, Younis khan is good as captain, still we need more change in team like shahid afradi, he is not performing from long time but still he is having lot of chance to play, we have lot of new player who have lot of talent and can play for pakistan for long but they still waiting for their chance,

Saif_I_Khan
on January 27, 2009, 14:48 GMT

I think it should a interim solution! Younis doesn't have the commitment as a captain- may be more aware of his personal self.

But I also think he would not be a puppet captain-- again PCB has no other alternatives! So best 'captain' of the lot.

tamilran
on January 27, 2009, 14:46 GMT

Younis is absolutely the best choice to rally the team for better future. Being an Indian, I would love to see Pakistan team coming up strongly to strengthen the competiveness in subcontinent. Pakistan team will not be successful unless Younis is given the full authority from the board and selection committee. We will hate to see if Younis throws his captaincy after sometime because of the internal politics, if that happens, that will be the major disaster for them.

ashardar
on January 27, 2009, 14:46 GMT

It's a great news. Now Pakistan should take second brave decision to remove Afridi and Akmal from team. Malik's era was the worst ever for pakistan. Pakistan lost all their major series. His relations with senior players were not good and he supported his friends too much, i.e. Akmal, to retain them in squad. Malik doesn't deserve place in test team. He should be included in ODI and T20 only. Fawad Alam, Sarfraz ahmed, M. Talha should be included...

chooha1
on January 27, 2009, 14:45 GMT

Younis Khan, in mine and many others opinion, is the right choice to be appointed as the captain because he's one of the most experienced player Pakistan has at the moment. Now that he's the captain, it still doesn't mean that Pakistan is going to win matches just under one person. They need other good young players such as Fawad Alam and Mohammad Talha or an experienced all-rounder e.g Kamran Hussain. Pakistan should also take the bans off the ICL players and bring back experienced palyers like Mohammad Yousaf and Abdul Razzaq. Also, Ijaz Butt said that it isn't the PCB that have banned the players from playing international cricket, but it's the ICC rules, then why aren't the ICL players allowed to play domestic cricket even though the ICC allows the ICL players to play domestic cricket.

yoursusher
on January 27, 2009, 14:44 GMT

Its A Good Move, But the main thing we have to get rid to the politics from the team too. Bcoz from the last 15 year it is destryoing the team. I hope Younis will turn a even strong captain and PCB back him. you are right Roamer, we have to get rid of Akmal, Afridi, and shoib Akhtar. And should bring some new blood. And we need to find a proper allrounder like Razaq. Best of luck Pakistan.

2767234
on January 27, 2009, 14:44 GMT

I think nice time has is ahead of pakistan cricket and PCB has taken the right decision in case of Shoaib Malik. Sticks kept in bundle are more stronger than that kept individually.They are having a set of talented players ....but are not used properly and we can hope that younis khan will be able to take pakistan much strongly

DhonisIndia
on January 27, 2009, 14:43 GMT

Pakistan cricket needs some good administration, and nothing else. One day they can be world beaters and next day tame loosers.

PakCricFanatic
on January 27, 2009, 14:41 GMT

Couldn't agree more with Roamer.

pakistani_cricket_lover
on January 27, 2009, 14:41 GMT

I think its a nice decision as he deserves this post. Besides this I would recommend that now is the time to get rid of rotten eggs like Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi. Bring some other talented fast bowler and all-rounder from domestic cricket.

heavens
on January 27, 2009, 14:39 GMT

In the current circumstances younis is the automatic choice and none of the other player is even an automatic choice in the playing eleven in all the three formats. Shoaib Malik as a captain was quite confused and was lack of confidence. At least younis can represent the country in a much better way. What i like about younis is his mental strength and his confidence which is very important for a captain. Now the next thing PCB needs to do is do inject some fresh blood and play as many tests as they can to develops their techniques.

Suzaprince
on January 27, 2009, 14:36 GMT

I think it is the right choice made by pakistan. In my opinion in test salman butt alongwith yasir hameed should open the inning. Anwar ali should be given a chance in all form of the game. Malik was very very lazy player. Younis will certainly take up the charge and will come in flying colors. Akhtar should not be dropped, he is a winning player.

banglar_tiger
on January 27, 2009, 14:35 GMT

A positive decision.I think he is the right person to get the leadership now, though it will be not very easy for him to lead in future.And as a bangladeshi supporter i will closely watch his captaincy in next series.

mrraraavis
on January 27, 2009, 14:32 GMT

I think he is the right man to lead and plus malik has now looked to be in batter batting form so it'll be nice if he can contribute in that way .And if he does'nt he should be told bye bye and fawad should play.Younis by far is the best captain in the present pakistan side.

muhammadwaqas67
on January 27, 2009, 14:32 GMT

I think Pakistan had made an excellent move by making Younis Khan captain. I am sure he will lead Pakistan very well and he will bring Pakistan up in the ODI ranking and as well in Test. The other point i want to bring up here is that Shahid Afridi should be taken over as Vice Captain and i am very sure if two senior players lead Pakistan team. By doing this Pakistan will be number 1 team very soon. I think they will work together and make Pakistan team at its best. By appointing Shahid Afridi as an Vice Captain, he will be more mature and he will be bat with more carefully. I think PCB should think about that. Overall they made an excellent move by appoint Younis captain.

khanqa
on January 27, 2009, 14:28 GMT

I think PAKISTAN should stop playing cricket for a year or two.. as it is no one is ready to tour the country .. give all the cricketers along break .. relieve them of all the pressures

Definitely Younis is the best man to lead pakistan out of the muddle they have been in for some time. Shoaib malik was only a caretaker and could never be a certainty in the test team as well. He never had the confidence of his team and seemed to be having ego clashes.
He probably wanted to be given the reins like a Imran Khan which he is not and the situation in world cricket is anyway different from the earlier powerful captains.
That said, the captains should be given the power to choose the team. Let us hope that Younis is given a proper opportunity as he has the confidence, leadership skills and experience required. The only problem is whether he is taking the job with full intentions.

Paki-Blood
on January 27, 2009, 14:26 GMT

yes i think younis khan is definately the right choice as caption

awais1
on January 27, 2009, 14:24 GMT

hahaha...as the elders say, "Better late than Never."

WilfredCrasta
on January 27, 2009, 14:23 GMT

If not Younis, who else? Kamran? he is out of form, and not sure will be there in next team. Pakistan need a Dhoni now. Younis is the best from available options.
Wilfred M Crasta, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

ChandikaGunawardhana
on January 27, 2009, 14:22 GMT

No. Malik did well against West Indies which they won 3 - 0. You can't judge the captaincy by just one poor series.

asimg
on January 27, 2009, 14:21 GMT

I think he is the right choice if you have to remove Malik. but Malik should be vice captain of Younis. Do not throw Malik in garbage.He is very good player of ODI and 20-20

z333
on January 27, 2009, 14:21 GMT

A very good but late decision.Malik is pretty nice as a player but he just hasnt got wht it takes to be a captain.This decision was always on.I hope Younis brings colours to Pakistani cricktet !

umar.adeel
on January 27, 2009, 14:20 GMT

Well I am not surprised but he wont be as good as Wasim Akram or Imran Khan.However I am sure he would be better than Mr.Malik.
I think it is a good chance for Malik to improve his bowling

Irfanazam
on January 27, 2009, 14:19 GMT

I think he is a right choice.Whether or not,he ll be able to unite the players and motivate them to play for pakistan still remains a million dollar question.

Roamer
on January 27, 2009, 14:18 GMT

Finally ..... Good to hear that a person who is an automatic selection in the team and also has some leadership qualities been appointed as the Captain. Good work PCB !!!

Next step should be to kick out Kamran Akmal, because he should first learn how to keep the wickets. Let Sarfaraz or the Under-19 player I forgot his name be given a choice to keep the wickets as both of them can bat. For Test Series bring in Fawad Alam instead of Shoaib Malik as he is one of the players who has shown the temperament to play long innings.

Then last but not the least, lift the BAN on ICL players so that Yousuf can also play. Salman Butt, Second opening slot is up for grabs, Younis, Yousuf, Misbah, Fawad, Sarfaraz, Umer Gul, Danish, Sohail Tanvir and Sohail Khan/Anwar Ali should be the playing 11 in the first test. As for the second opener Khurram Manzoor (plays very well to Spin .... specially Mendis) / Nasir Jamshed (more of a oneday player) / Yasir Hameed (should be given a long run)

Jahangir_Nazar
on January 27, 2009, 14:13 GMT

Younis as right choice or not the right one - one thing is sure he will give away captaincy on the most lamest excuses ever. Mark my words =)

JP_the_genius
on January 27, 2009, 14:10 GMT

I think, it is a good decision. He had been the best choice, after Inzi. Board perhaps agreed to his conditions. He can handle Pakistani team very well as he has good relations with all the teammates, either juniors or seniors.

No featured comments at the moment.

JP_the_genius
on January 27, 2009, 14:10 GMT

I think, it is a good decision. He had been the best choice, after Inzi. Board perhaps agreed to his conditions. He can handle Pakistani team very well as he has good relations with all the teammates, either juniors or seniors.

Jahangir_Nazar
on January 27, 2009, 14:13 GMT

Younis as right choice or not the right one - one thing is sure he will give away captaincy on the most lamest excuses ever. Mark my words =)

Roamer
on January 27, 2009, 14:18 GMT

Finally ..... Good to hear that a person who is an automatic selection in the team and also has some leadership qualities been appointed as the Captain. Good work PCB !!!

Next step should be to kick out Kamran Akmal, because he should first learn how to keep the wickets. Let Sarfaraz or the Under-19 player I forgot his name be given a choice to keep the wickets as both of them can bat. For Test Series bring in Fawad Alam instead of Shoaib Malik as he is one of the players who has shown the temperament to play long innings.

Then last but not the least, lift the BAN on ICL players so that Yousuf can also play. Salman Butt, Second opening slot is up for grabs, Younis, Yousuf, Misbah, Fawad, Sarfaraz, Umer Gul, Danish, Sohail Tanvir and Sohail Khan/Anwar Ali should be the playing 11 in the first test. As for the second opener Khurram Manzoor (plays very well to Spin .... specially Mendis) / Nasir Jamshed (more of a oneday player) / Yasir Hameed (should be given a long run)

Irfanazam
on January 27, 2009, 14:19 GMT

I think he is a right choice.Whether or not,he ll be able to unite the players and motivate them to play for pakistan still remains a million dollar question.

umar.adeel
on January 27, 2009, 14:20 GMT

Well I am not surprised but he wont be as good as Wasim Akram or Imran Khan.However I am sure he would be better than Mr.Malik.
I think it is a good chance for Malik to improve his bowling

z333
on January 27, 2009, 14:21 GMT

A very good but late decision.Malik is pretty nice as a player but he just hasnt got wht it takes to be a captain.This decision was always on.I hope Younis brings colours to Pakistani cricktet !

asimg
on January 27, 2009, 14:21 GMT

I think he is the right choice if you have to remove Malik. but Malik should be vice captain of Younis. Do not throw Malik in garbage.He is very good player of ODI and 20-20

ChandikaGunawardhana
on January 27, 2009, 14:22 GMT

No. Malik did well against West Indies which they won 3 - 0. You can't judge the captaincy by just one poor series.

WilfredCrasta
on January 27, 2009, 14:23 GMT

If not Younis, who else? Kamran? he is out of form, and not sure will be there in next team. Pakistan need a Dhoni now. Younis is the best from available options.
Wilfred M Crasta, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.